In the past, taking photographs of friends or family members with traditional cameras generally meant the photographer was not in the picture, as someone was required to “press the button” on the camera. This problem was solved by the development of “time delay” or self-timer functionality on cameras, which allowed the photographer to frame the shot, start the timer, and then step into the picture prior to the shutter activation. The photographer would mount the camera on a tripod or just place the same on a ledge, with the subjects appropriately framed and focused. This system was also used to remove shaking, as the shutter could be activated without the photographer having to depress the shutter button.
The advent of cell phone cameras and their subsequent and dramatic increase in resolution and capabilities have led to such cameras being the de facto standard for many consumers. However, due to their form factor and shape, such cameras are generally less easy to position, and are much more difficult to mount on a tripod or place on a ledge.
Other disadvantages include that the camera might not always be positionable such that it is convenient to see the display to decide if the shot is framed properly. Some cameras have displays that can move to allow them to be viewed from other angles, but still such have limits, especially when the user wishes to be located somewhere other than right next to the camera, e.g., when the user wants to be in the picture.
One attempt to solve such issues is by the use of a cell phone camera in which the camera is on the same side as the display screen; however, such cameras have been of significantly lower resolution than those in which the camera is facing away from the display screen.
Security cameras are known which allow cameras to be controlled remotely by a user who can see the video captured by the camera. However, such are generally proprietary specialized systems and lack at least features such as portability.
This Background is provided to introduce a brief context for the Summary and Detailed Description that follow. This Background is not intended to be an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter nor be viewed as limiting the claimed subject matter to implementations that solve any or all of the disadvantages or problems presented above.